The Detroit Lions will go into Sunday’s game against the Vikings with only two names on the injury report, but both matter.
Cornerback Roger McCreary landed as questionable with a foot injury after not appearing on the report Wednesday or Thursday. Safety Kerby Joseph was ruled out, and his designation came in the first abbreviated week of the 21-day return to play window that opened when he returned to practice Wednesday.
Joseph was not seen during the open portion of Friday’s practice, though he was there afterward and spoke with the media. The Lions now have 21 days from Wednesday to decide whether to activate him from the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Outside of McCreary and Joseph, Detroit’s report is clean for the Vikings matchup. Earlier in the week, a few players were given rest days, but Jahmyr Gibbs, Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St. Brown all got back to full participation.
If McCreary’s foot keeps him from going, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said the Lions have options. Detroit has already been leaning on a cornerback rotation over the last couple of weeks, and Sheppard made it clear he doesn’t want excuses attached to communication busts or coverage breakdowns.
“We don't go down that road," said Sheppard. "Those are excuses and those are for losers.
And if you start to go down that road, your role will diminish here. So, we don't even travel down there.
If you get an opportunity, I don't care if you've never gotten a rep, if you've never gotten it in practice and we call you off the sideline because you're the last man that we have. You're expected to go in there and play at the same level as the guy that's taking every rep.
So, with all due respect, I don't even travel down that road.”
Sheppard also pointed to a defense that is beginning to fit together better. After the games against the Cardinals and Packers, he said the pass rush and coverage have started to connect more naturally.
“These players are starting to talk a lot more," Sheppard explained. "They're starting to meet a lot more together.
They understand on certain things, we need to be there really fast, D-line. On other things, we can work and manipulate some things.
And just the overall total understanding of these guys starting to play and merge together, gel together, and the trust factor I think is the biggest thing that you're starting to see kind of grow and gain as we move here.”
For now, the official Week 8 picture is simple: McCreary is questionable, Joseph is out, and everyone else is clear for Sunday.
In Other News...
Lions Suddenly Have A Tougher Cornerback Decision Than Expected
The Lions have gotten healthier in the secondary with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph back in the mix, but the cornerback picture still looks unsettled enough to keep the front office on alert. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. has quietly given Detroit something to think about, showing encouraging coverage results while the defense as a whole continues to search for more consistency against the pass.
DJ Reeds numbers have been part of that concern, and the combination of uneven play and lingering questions at corner has made this a more complicated decision than the Lions probably expected a few weeks ago. With the trade deadline approaching, Detroit has reason to keep looking at outside help even as it tries to sort out how much trust to place in the corners already on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Trade Deadline Plan Just Got A Telling Hint
With the NFL trade deadline drawing closer, Dan Campbell said the Lions are still actively weighing their options and that Brad Holmes and his staff have been working the phones as they sort through potential moves. It is the sort of familiar late-season posture for a contender trying to stay ahead of the market, especially with other NFC teams already making notable trades and reshaping the landscape around Detroit.
Campbell also made clear that the teams upcoming trip to Germany is not going to interfere with its ability to get something done before the Nov. 10 deadline. The timing adds a little extra intrigue to a front office that has stayed aggressive in the past, and it leaves open the possibility that Detroit is still looking to bolster a roster that expects to be in the thick of the race. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Run Game Faces A Real Test Against Minnesotas Front
Detroits ground game has been productive in stretches, but it has also run into a wall often enough to keep the offense from fully leaning on it. Through Week 8, the Lions have paired a strong rushing success rate with a high rate of stuffs, a combination that has made the run game feel more functional than dominant. That matters even more this week, with Minnesota bringing one of the leagues more stubborn fronts and a defense that has long made opponents earn every yard between the tackles.
For the Lions, the challenge is less about abandoning the run than making it work early enough to shape the rest of the game. Better blocking up front would help Detroit stay on schedule, force the Vikings to respect the line of scrimmage and create cleaner looks for the passing attack. If the run game gets bottled up again, the Lions could find themselves asking their offense to win in the most difficult way against a defense built to make that uncomfortable. [Read more 🡒]